


National Anthem

by mintywrites



Category: Silicon Valley (TV)
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-04-11
Updated: 2017-04-11
Packaged: 2018-10-17 18:06:08
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,143
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10599345
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/mintywrites/pseuds/mintywrites
Summary: Gilfoyle runs into someone from his past. Dinesh is very confused about the encounter.





	

Going for coffee with Gilfoyle felt a little weird now that they were sleeping together regularly, like it was a date or something. But they had both continued to order and pay for their own coffee since they'd started hooking up, so Dinesh knew that meant it definitely wasn't a date and that he should relax for once in his life.

And he was relaxed, until he saw Gilfoyle’s eyes widen a bit as he looked through the coffee shop crowd. His expressions were hard to read, but Dinesh picked up on a subtle hint of shock and fear in his eyes. Dinesh assumed Gilfoyle spotted someone he didn’t want seeing him on a date with a man (even though this wasn't a date), because that was his own worst nightmare. Gilfoyle turned to face Dinesh and away from the coffee shop entrance.

He was too late, though, because within seconds there was a tap on Gilfoyle’s shoulder, from a man Dinesh would describe as a more butch Channing Tatum.

“Ward? Is that you?”

Dinesh scrunched his face as Gilfoyle turned around to face the Tatum look-alike. _Who’s ‘Ward’?_

Gilfoyle remained silent as he met the man’s gaze in acknowledgment of his presence. Dinesh could tell that he was highly on edge, and Dinesh was too- this man had more muscles than half the Palo Alto population combined, and while he seemed friendly, he was definitely not the type of person Gilfoyle would befriend on purpose. Dinesh felt like this was part of Gilfoyle’s life he wasn't supposed to see, that Gilfoyle didn't want to admit existed.

“How’ve you been? You, ah….” the man’s eyes flicked down to Dinesh, and back up at Gilfoyle. “You stopped responding to my texts.”

Gilfoyle gave a non-committal shrug.

The guy sighed, obviously realizing he wasn’t going to be able to get Gilfoyle to talk. “Alright then, it was good to see you. Take care, Ward.” He turned around and left the coffee shop, and Dinesh could see Gilfoyle visibly relax as he went out the door.

Dinesh raised his eyebrows as he tried to process what just happened. “What was that, ‘Ward’?”

“Nothing you should be concerned with. And can you blame me for not giving that guy my real name?”

Dinesh shrugged in agreement. He was still itching to know who that guy was and how he knows Gilfoyle, but from the way Gilfoyle was standing he knew he wouldn't be able to get him to talk about it now. Dinesh didn't know what to say, and Gilfoyle didn't offer up anything, so they stood in silence as they waited for their orders to be taken.

\----

That night after everyone had gone to bed, Dinesh went and knocked on Gilfoyle’s door like he usually did. Part of him was expecting Gilfoyle to not be in the mood after what happened at the coffee shop, but fortunately he opened the door for him and let him inside. Dinesh sat down on the bed, and Gilfoyle immediately straddled his lap and started kissing him.

Dinesh leaned into the kiss, but for the first time since they’d started hooking up, his thoughts were elsewhere. He kept seeing the Channing Tatum guy, wondering what had happened between him and Gilfoyle. The thing he couldn't let go of was how normal this guy was- if a guy who looked like a circus freak show ringleader had approached Gilfoyle in the coffee shop, Dinesh wouldn't have given it a second thought.

Gilfoyle could feel that Dinesh wasn't responding as eagerly as usual, so he pulled away and stood up. “What's wrong? Not in the mood after all?”

“No, I'm in the mood, I'm always in the mood. I just keep thinking about that guy from the coffee shop. I'm sorry, I know you probably want to forget about him.”

Gilfoyle sighed as he sat down on the bed next to Dinesh. “I do, but I don't. A big part of my beliefs system is never regretting or feeling ashamed of things that have given me pleasure.”

Dinesh’s eyes widened, and his voice cracked as he said, “Pleasure? Like, you and him…”

“We fucked, yeah. Several times.”

Dinesh felt a knot forming in the pit of his stomach. Gilfoyle had told him that he'd been with one guy before him, but Dinesh never expected that he'd be so buff and macho. And there was no way Gilfoyle was in it for the guys personality, they probably had nothing in common, so the sex must have been amazing for Gilfoyle to go back more than once. Dinesh felt small and inadequate; he didn't think it was possible, but he felt more insecure in his sexing abilities than he already had.

Gilfoyle looked down at Dinesh, who was staring at the floor looking sick to his stomach, his hands clenched in his lap.

“Are you jealous of G.I. Joe? Because you really shouldn't be.”

“Oh really? Why shouldn't I feel like a loser who can't fuck compared to a guy who looks like he can break me in half?”

Gilfoyle sighed. “I didn't keep going back to him because he was good at sex. He was mediocre at best, I had to do most of the work. It was just really hot to hatefuck somebody on active duty.”

Dinesh looked up at Gilfoyle. “Is… is that what this is, too? I'm mediocre at sex but you like fucking me because you hate me?”

Gilfoyle blinked slowly. “Of course not. I don't hate you.”

Dinesh felt like he was going to cry. He never expected to feel this vulnerable in front of Gilfoyle.

“Really? Because you kind of act like it. I mean, I'll admit that I hate you sometimes, but, not all the time.” Dinesh’s gaze moved from Gilfoyle back to the floor, and his voice grew softer and quieter as he spoke. “And definitely not when we’re having sex.”

Gilfoyle sighed. “I do act like I hate you sometimes. Some of it is to get on your nerves because I like to watch you squirm. But most of that is just me trying to cover up how much I like you.”

Dinesh looked back up at him. “You… you like me.”

“Well, yeah. Do you think I spent hours hanging out with G.I. Joe playing video games? Do you think I went for coffee with him five days a week? He and I could barely hold up a conversation.”

“No, I guess not.” Dinesh tried to hold back a smile. Up until now he wouldn’t have wanted Gilfoyle to tell him he liked him, but hearing it and knowing it made Dinesh feel warm and his chest feel tight. He didn't really know what to do with this information, but he wanted to keep feeling like this, so he kissed him.


End file.
